Clasp



V '(No Model.)

F. ARMSTRONG.

CLASP.

No.'391,772. Patented Oct. 30, 1888 Udi'ifWEEEEE- s. FUERS, Phlml-xlhcpmphar, Washingtom i112 FRANK ARMSTRONG, OF BRIDGEPORI, CONNECTICUT.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,772, dated October 30, 1888.

Application filed March 31, 1888.

T0 aZl whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps; and I do hereby de clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to produce a double clasp which, when used as a sleeveholder, is complete in itself without the use of another clasp and piece of web, and which, when used as a stocking or skirt supporter, will grasp the stocking or skirt firmly, and may also be readily adjusted upon the strip of web in a moments time and without additional parts, thereby Wholly dispensing with the use of buckles and an additional piece of web. lVith these ends in view I have devised the simple and novel construction of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, numbers being used to denote the several parts.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my double clasp attached to a piece of web when used as a stocking or skirt supporter; Fig. 2, a sect-ion on the line as m in Fig. 1,- Fig. 3, a perspective of my novel clasp detached, as when used as a sleeve-holder or for any similar purpose; and Fig. t is an elevation of another form of my improved clasp especially adapted for stocking and other garment supporters.

The device consists solely of two pieces of metal secured together by an eyelet or in any suitable manner, and two slides. These'plates as blanked out are all exactly alike; but as one of them requires to be changed slightly in configuration I have denoted the one shown as the back plate by 1 and the front plate by 2. The plates may be enlarged midway their length and provided with openings 3 wide enough to permit the strip of web upon which the clasp is used to pass freely through. Just below the central opening the two plates are shown as secured together by an eyelet, 4. They may, if preferred, however, be riveted or soldered together just below openings 3. The respective ends of the plates are turned inward and are provided with jaw-teeth 5.

ScrialNo. 269,101. (No model.)

The upper plate is provided at the central opening with a bend, 6, away from the back plate, and with similar bends, 7, near the opposite ends, so as to permit the web to pass freely between the plates. These bends have the effect of slightly shortening the upper plate, so that when they are secured together thejaw-teeth upon the upper plate pass just inside'of those upon the lower plate, thus adding-greatly to the strength of the engagement of the clasp with the web and with the garment to be supported. The upper plate near its opposite ends is provided with two sets of.

lugs or teats, 8, struck up from the metal without perforating it.

9 denotes slides, one at each end of the clasp, which normallythat is, when the clasp is open--lie within bends 7, and which in use are forced up said bends and over the first set of lugs or teats, thereby clamping the jaws firmly upon the garment at one end and the web at the other.

It will be noticed in the drawings that the upper pair of jaws is made wider than the lower pair. This is a matter, however, to be left Wholly to the taste of the manufacturer or the requirements of the trade, and has nothing to do with the principle of my invention.

10 denotes the strip of web to which the clasp is attached.

The operation is as follows: When used as a stocking, skirt, or drawers supporter, the clasp is attached to the web by passing the web down through the upper jaws and out at the central opening, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it being understood, of course, that the slide is slipped down to permit the web to enter freely. Having adjusted the clasp at the desired place upon the Web, it is secured there by forcing the slide upward over the'first set of lugs or teats. The stocking or other garment to be supported is engaged in precisely the same manner. The slide is slipped up as in Fig. 3, a fold of the stocking or other garment placed between the jaws, and then the slide is slipped down over the first pair of lugs or teats, as before, thereby clamping the jaws tightly upon the stocking or other garment. Should it be found at any time that the strip of web is too long or too short, it may be adjusted without detaching it from the garment by simply forcing the upper slide down and then drawing more of the web through or letting it slip back, as may be required. The slide is then forced back over the first pair of lugs or teats to lock the clasp upon the web. The use of my improved clasp as a sleeveholder is so obvious as hardly to require explanation. The slides at both ends of the clasp are slipped inward over the first pair of lugs or teats, as in Fig. 3. A fold of the sleeve is caught between one pair ofjaws and the slide slipped back over the lugs or teats, and an,- other fold caught between the other pair of jaws and the other slide slipped back to place, thus clamping each fold firmly between a pair of jaws. The form illustrated in Fig. 4 is made in precisely the same manner, except that three clasps are formed from the two pieces of metal instead of two, as in the other form, three slides being used. This form is admirably adapted for garment-supporters. 11 denotes a belt or portion of garment to which a clasp at the upper end of strip 10 is attached. 12 denotes strips which are grasped by the two clasps formed at the lower ends of the plates. At the lower ends of these strips are double clasps made alike at both ends. As already stated, the relative width of the clasps formed at the opposite ends of the plate is not of the essence of my invention.

When the clasps are intended to be used simply as attaching-clasps-that is, as at the upper and lower portions of Fig. 4they are preferably made alike at both ends and the central opening may be omitted. When intended to be used as attaching and adjusting clasps, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the central opening is required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A clasp consisting of two plates secured together near the center, having jaws at their opposite ends, the upper plate being provided with sets of lugs or teats 8 at its opposite ends, and slides adapted to be forced over the first set of lugs or teats to lock the jaws in the closed position.

2. A double clasp consisting of two plates enlarged at the center and secured together, substantially as shown, a central opening in the upper plate, inwardly-turned jaw-teeth at the opposite ends of said plate, and slides adapted to lock the jaw-teeth in the closed position.

3. A clasp consisting of two plates enlarged at their center and secured together, jaw-teeth at the opposite ends of said plates, an opening, 3, and bends 6 and 7 in the upper plate, and a central opening through which the web passes, and slides 9, whereby the garment to be supported may be engaged and held by a pair or pairs of jaws and the clasp may be adj ustably secured to the web by another pair of jaws.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK ARMSTRONG.

Witnesses:

A. M. WoosTER, BERTHA E. LEE. 

